The Curse and The Rose
by Nessie Carlie Salvatore
Summary: When Damon Salvatore is cursed he must find someone to love him before his 21st birthday. Can Elena Gilbert save him from himself? I OWN NOTHING
1. Chapter 1

One dark, stormy night an old woman was making her slow way through the woods of Mystic Falls, Virgina. A few miles in she came upon a large, beautiful house. She knocked on the door and waited. A few minutes lather a handsome young man opened the door. He took in her haggard, wrinkled face and sneered.

"What do you want?" He asked in annoyance.

"Just a safe place to wait out the storm, sir." She answered.

"And what will you do or me in return?" The old woman dug through her bag for a moment and pulled out a perfect blood red rose. She held it up to the young man and he took it.

"What on earth would I want with this?" He asked. Then threw it to the ground and crushed it. "Get out of my sight. Go bother someone else." He turned away and was about to the close the door when someone said his name.

"Damon Salvatore!" He turned, but the old woman was no longer there. Now, in her place, stood a beautiful young woman.

"I've heard that you abused your gift, but I wanted to see for myself." She said.

"What gift? Who are you?"

"I am the enchantress that granted you the gift of you beauty. But you abused it. You used beauty to determine someones worth. But the way someone looks isn't always what counts, almost everyone's beauty is on the inside." She looked at him, coldly. "Everyone, that is, except you. Inside you are spoiled, selfish, and unkind. You are a beast."

"I-I-" He started but she grabbed his wrist.

"Damon Salvatore, I retract your gift. You will now be as ugly on the outside as you are inside." He felt a strange tingle go up his arm and he shuttered. She released him and he spun around to look into the mirror across the hall. Then he laughed.

"You did nothing!" The woman bent and retrieved the rose offered to him earlier. She waved her hand and it returned to it's perfect state. Then, as Damon watched through the mirror, she pricked her finger on one of the thorns. He felt a strange feeling in his gums as the scent of her blood hit him. He looked back into his reflection and gasped in horror.

The veins under his eyes stood out and his canine teeth had elongated.

"No." He whispered. "What have you done?"

"_You _did this." The woman said. "You have no one else to blame." She handed him the rose.

"This will bloom until your twenty-first year. If you do not learn to love and find someone to love you by then, you will stay this way forever." The woman disappeared and Damon sunk to the floor in despair.

Who could ever love a beast?

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><p><strong>So...this is the first chapter, if you guys like it, I'll continue. Let's say Three reviews then I'll post again?<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**ONE YEAR LATER**

Elena Gilbert woke up with the sun streaming in through her window. Sighing she pushed the blankets away from her and got out of bed, dreading the day. She put on her favorite dress and grabbed her bag, needing to go into town.

If you could call Mystic Falls a town. It was very small and there wasn't a lot to it. An inn, a bakeshop, Town Hall, a few small shops, and a bookstore. That was where Elena spent most of her time, which put the in a frenzy. Everywhere she went she was known as the beautiful, but idealistic, daughter of John Gilbert, the inventor. But, everyone still treated her kindly. They always told her hello and complemented her, but ignored her other than that.

Elena grabbed the book she had just finished and snuck out the door, careful not to alert her father that she was leaving. He had been working on a new invention that he taking to the fair a few towns away, and she didn't want to distract him. She walked through the busy streets saying her hello's until she made it to the bakery.

"Good morning, Elena." The baker said, then looked at two children that Elena hadn't noticed, who were looking at the fresh bread that Mrs. Forbes had just put out. "You two, go on now. Your mother's are probably worried." They frowned, and ran out the door.

"Good morning, Mr. Forbes." She said. "Can I get two loaves this week, please?"

"Two?" He asked.

"Yes, you know my father, the harder he works, the hungrier he gets."

"Oh, yes." He said, getting her what she asked for. She thanked him, paid, and went outside, finding the two children Mr. Forbes had sent out.

"Here you go." She said, handing them one of the loaves she'd bought. "Now, don't bother Mr. Forbes anymore. Go find your mothers." They thanked her and ran off. Shaking her head, she went to the book store.

"Good morning, Miss Sommers." She called. A young woman with light brown hair came into the main room and smiled.

"Good morning, Elena. What are you doing here?"

"I've come to return the book I borrowed." She said, holding it out to her.

"You've finished it already?" Elena nodded, looking at the shelves. "We haven't gotten anything new since yesterday, Elena."

"I suppose I'll just read this again." She said, picking up a fairly used book.

"But you've read three times already."

"Oh, I know. But it's my favorite. The adventure, the romance-"

"Well, why don't you just take it?"

"Oh, I couldn't-"

"I insist. I need to order a new copy anyway, that one's falling apart." Elena squealed and wrapped her arms around the woman.

"Thank you, so much! I'll take the best care of it!" Miss Sommers laughed and patted Elena's hair.

"Very good. Now get home, tell your father I said hello." Elena said she would and walked out. And straight into Stefan Whitlock.

"Hello, Elena." He smirked. She rolled her eyes and moved around him.

"Good morning, Stefan." She said, trying to go around him. He grabbed the book from her hands and she sighed.

"Stefan, can I please have me book back?" Stefan looked through it, then looked at her.

"Elena, how can you read this? There are no pictures..."

"Some people can use their imaginations." Elena said, as she reached for the book that he held just out of her reach.

"I think it's time you got your head out of those books and paid attention to more important things...like me!" Stefan threw the book to the ground."The whole town's talking about you. It's not right for a woman to read-soon she starts getting ideas... and thinking." Elena bent down and picked up her book, brushing the dust and dirt off.

"Stefan, you're completely primeval."

"Thank you, Elena. Why don't we walk down to the tavern and you can buy me drink." He said, putting him arm around her shoulder. She shrugged him off and turned the other way.

"Maybe some other time, Stefan. I need to get home and see if my father needs help." Stefan laughed.

"Yeah, he needs help alright. Mental help." Elena turned and slapped him.

"My father is _not_ crazy! He's a genius!" With that she turned and walked home.

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><p><strong>Thanks for all the reviews you guys! This is, obviously, based<strong> **on Beauty and the Beast, I'm using the Disney script to fall back on, but trying to make it original, too. If anyone know the real story, or has any ideas, let me know:) 4 reviews until chapter 3 :D  
><strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**So...I made Stefan the jerk(Not to offend any Stefan lovers, that's just where I thought he fit best). Pretty much everyone in this story will be OOC and HUMAN(Katherine, Klaus, Tyler and Caroline to name some) Damon is still human but he has taken on vampire like qualities and has to feed on blood to survive.**

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><p>Elena ran home to find her father covered in black smut.<p>

"How did that happen? Damn it..."

"Are you alright, Papa?" She asked. He looked up and sighed.

"I'm about ready to give up on this damn thing." He muttered, wiping off his face.

"You always say that."

"I mean it this time. I'll never get this to work." He said, gesturing to his invention. Elena smiled softly.

"You will. And you'll when first prize at that fair tomorrow...and become world famous." She added at her fathers unbelieving look.

"Do you really think so?" She wrapped her arms around him, not caring if he stained her dress.

"I always have." John smiled and kissed the top of his daughters head.

"Then what are we waiting for? I'll have this fixed in no time, hand me that wrench over there." He got down under his machine and got to work. "Did you have a good time in town today?"

"I got a new book...Do you think I'm odd, Papa?"

"You? Odd? Where did you get an idea like that?" Elena leaned against the door way of her her fathers work shop and sighed.

"Oh, I don't know. I just fit in here. There's just no one for me to talk to."

"What about that Stefan? He's a handsome guy." Elena rolled her eyes.

"Oh, he's handsome alright, and rude, and conceited, and...Oh, he's just not for me."

"Well, don't you worry because this invention's gonna be the start of a new life for us. I think that does it, now let's give it a try." He flipped a switch and the machine whirred to life.

"It works!"Elena cried, happily.

"It does? It does!" Elena hugged her father.

"You did it! You really did it!"

"Hitch up Phillipe, I'm off to the fair!"

Elena did as she was told, wished her father luck and watched him leave, praying that he would win and get her out of this sad little town.

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><p>John Gilbert rode out of town and into the woods until the moon replaced the sun in the sky.<p>

"We should be there by now..." He said to himself. "Maybe we missed a turn. I guess we should have taken a...wait!" He stopped the horse when he came to a fork in the road. One road was over grown and dark, the other was trimmed down and moon light shown down onto it.

"Come on," He said, guiding the reluctant horse onto the moonlit path. "It's a short cut, come on." The moon light only lasted a little while before it became darkness again. "Oh, this can't be right. Phillipe, where have you taken us? We'd better turn around...Whoa!" A swarm of bats flew down, spooking the horse and causing him to run off the path.

"Damn it, Phillipe!" John yelled, getting the horse back onto the horse started to buck wildly then, until john fell, then he ran away.

"Phillipe!" John sighed as it began to rain and turned, meeting a pair of glowing eyes, then another, then another. "Oh, no!" He turned and ran from the wolves as fast as he could, managing to stay away from them until he ran into the rusted iron gates of a giant home. He began shaking the gates, begging to be let in. The lock on the gate gave way and John ran in, slamming the gates shut, stopping the wolves for another second.

He ran to the door, knocking loudly until it creaked open, only a little. He looked at the wolves, then went inside slowly.

"Hello?" He called.

"The poor man must have lost his way..." He heard a females voice say softly.

"Keep quiet and maybe he'll go away." A male whispered back.

"I don't mean to intrude," John started, "but I've lost my horse and I need a place to stay for the night."

"Oh, Klaus, have a heart!" A beautiful young girl came out of the shadow. "Of course sir, you are welcome here!" She said to john. A blond young man came out after her as she grabbed John's arm and led him to the den.

"Now you've done it, Katherine! Oh, when He finds out that you-" John's sneeze cut Klaus' rant short.

"Oh, you're soaked to the bone! Go warm up by the fire and I'll get you some tea!" She sat John down then looked at Klaus. "Be nice and don't alarm Him!" She ran back down the hallway towards the kitchen.

"Oh, she put him in His chair." Klaus moaned, clasping his forehead. "Alright this is enough! I'm in charge here and-"

"Oh!" Katherine had returned with with a blond girl who was carrying a tea pot.

"Here you go." The blond said, pouring him a cup of tea. "This will warm you up in no time"

"No! He has to go before-" The front door slammed opened and a cold, wet wind blew in.

"Caroline, go." Katherine whispered to the blond girl. "You don't need to be involved. Find Tyler and hide." Caroline nodded and ran.

"There is a stranger here." A cold voice says from the shadows. Katherine stood, looking into the darkness timidly.

"Master, allow me to explain. The man was lost in the woods, he was cold and wet and-" A snarl cut her off and she looked down dejected.

"Master, I just want to say, I was against this from the start. "I tried to stop her but you know she doesn't-"

"Shut up! Who are you What do you want?" John stood, to see the one they called master, but he was hidden by the dark.

"I was lost in the dark-" The master stepped into the light.

"You are not welcome here!"

"I'm sorry!" John stared at the young mans face, covered in blood and he had fangs.

"What are you staring at?" The young man asked, coming closer.

"N-nothing..." He said, turning away. "I'll be going now."

But the Beast blocked the doorway and pushed John back.

"Come to see the beast have you?"

"Please, I didn't know that anyone lived here! I just need a place to stay." The beast stopped and his fangs went away. Then an evil smile spread across his face.

"Oh, I'll give you a place to stay." He picked John up by his collar and started walking towards a door in the hall.

"Master, please-" Katherine began, and Damon turned on her and growled loudly.

"Go wait for me in my chambers. You will soon learn to never do this again." Then He carried John down into dungeon and threw him into a cell.

"Please, let me go. I won't tell anyone what I've seen here. I swear to you."

"The only way you're getting out of here is death." The beast said, walking away. John slid down the bars, thinking of Elena-and never seeing her again.

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><p><strong>I'm not sure about Klaus and Kathrine's parts in here...If you guys don't think it's a good idea, let me know and change it a replace them.<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**I didn't get many things to change Klaus and Katherine, so I didn't. The reason I used them is because they are two of the most powerful characters on the show, and Damon dominating over them in this shows how scary he is.  
><strong>

**Sorry this took so long to post. School started and I haven't had a lot of time:/**

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><p>Elena stood the kitchen of her small home, preparing her fathers favorite diner for when he returned, when someone knocked on the door. She wiped her hands off on her apron and opened the door to find Stefan Witlock waiting.<p>

"Stefan! What a...pleasant surprise..."

"Isn't it? I'm just full of surprises." He pushed past her and walked into the house, grimacing at the small size. "There's not a girl in the world who would love to be you today."

"And why is that?" Elena asked, looking at the mud he'd tracked in.

"Because today is the day your dreams come true."

"And what do you know about my dreams?" She asked, following him into the kitchen.

"Plenty." He answered. "Picture this- A rustic hunting lodge, my latest kill roasting on the fire, and my little wife, making diner, while the little ones play with the dogs...We'll have six or seven." He said, propping his feet up on the table.

"Dogs?" Elena asked, picking up her book.

"No! Kids. All boys, of course."

"Imagine that." She said sarcastically, putting her book on the shelf.

"And do you know who my little wife will be?" He asked her, getting up.

"Let me think..." She says, going back to the food. Stefan walked up behind her, and turned her around to face him.

"You, Elena." Elena ducked, under his arm and ran to the other side of the kitchen.

"Stefan...I really don't know what to say..." Stefan followed her, pushing chairs and stuff out of the way until he reached her.

"Say you'll marry me." He said. When Elena didn't answer, he leaned forward to kiss her. Elena ducked, causing him to hit his head on the door.

"I'm very sorry, Stefan...but I don't deserve you." She opened the door and pushed him outside, which was easy since he was distracted by the pain in his head. Elena slammed the door and leaned against it, flinching when Stefan's fist banged against it.

"You will be mine!" He yelled, before he walked away. She waited for a few minutes, sighed, and went to feed the chickens they had in the yard.

"Can you believe it?" She asked aloud and she threw the feed out to them. "Me marry him? He thinks all that matters is how many awards he has and how shiny his teeth are. Mrs. Witlock, could you imagine? And seven sons? To think he had the nerve-" The sound of galloping hoofs stopped her rant. "Phillipe? Phillipe! What are you doing here? Where's Father? You have to take me to him, please." She unhitched the wagon and got on the horse. She got him to run as fast as he could without killing him before they rode up on huge, beautiful house.

Elena got off horse and stared in wonder. Phillipe bucked as if something was scaring him. Elena patted his neck to calm him.

"Please stay." She whispered. Then she walked up the house, glanced back at the horse, and disappeared inside.

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><p>"Couldn't keep quiet, could we?" Klaus asked, as he cleaned the wound on Katherine's neck. "Just had to invite him to stay, didn't we? Serve him tea, sit in the master's chair, offer him a place to rest?" Katherine flinched.<p>

"I was just trying to hospitable." She whispered. Jeremy, a young boy, ran into the room, excited.

"There's a girl in the house!"

"Now's not the time for jokes, Jeremy." Klaus said sternly, looking at the puncture marks on Katherine's neck.

"No, I saw-"

"Not another word! Go on up to bed."

"A girl!" Caroline said, rushing in. "There is a girl!" Jeremy smirked.

"Told you!"

"Oh, Klaus!" Katherine said, grabbing his arm. "A girl!"

"I heard."

"Don't you see? She's the one. The girl we have been waiting for. She has come to break the spell!" Katherine stood to run to see the girl, but the Master had taken too much of her blood and she wobbled. She steadied herself and went toward the hallway.

"Wait!" Klaus said.

"Hello?" A soft voice called. "Is someone there?" Katherine made a noise, but Klaus covered her mouth.

"Please? I'm just looking for my father." When she got no reply she sighed. _I could have swore I heard something..._

"Hello! Is anyone here!" She called again.

"Elena?" She heard her father's voice called.

"Father!" She cried, following his calls. She found him in a prison like cell in the basement of the house.

"What are you doing here?" John asked, taking his daughters hands.

"You're hands are so cold! who's done this to you?"

"Elena, you must leave this place."

"I won't leave you!" Her father's eyes widened and he let her go.

"Run." She was about to ask why when a cold voice cut in.

"What are you doing here?" A man asked. Elena turn to see him, but he was hidden in the shadows.

"Who's there? Who are you?" Elena meant it to come out sounding brave, but her voice shook.

"The master of this house. Who are you?"

"I've come for my father. Please let him out! Can't you see he's sick?" She cried, looking at her father's pale skin.

"Then he shouldn't have trespassed here." The man growled.

"But he could die! Please, I'll do anything, just let him go!"

"There's nothing you can do. He's my prisoner." He snapped.

"Oh, there must be some way I can...wait!" She said, an idea coming into her mine. "Take me, instead!"

"You?" The man asked in disbelief. "You would take his place?"

"Elena, No!" John said. "You don't know what you're doing!"

"If I did, would you let him go?" Elena asked, as if her father hadn't spoken.

"Yes." He answered, then added, "but you must promise to stay here forever."

Elena thought for a moment, before realizing she hadn't even seen the man.

"Come into the light." She demanded. The man stepped forward and Elena held back a gasp. He was beautiful. He had shining blue eyes and dark hair that made them stand out.

He bowed his head and Elena heard him gasp softly, then saw a line blood rise on his palm. He looked up at her and she screamed. His beauty was marred by red veins and sharp fangs.

"Elena, I won't let you do this!" John said. Elena took a deep breath and steadied herself as the man's face returned to normal.

"You have my word."

"Done!" He said, quickly, before Elena could change her mind. He unlocked John's cell and Elena resisted the urge to collapse to the floor and cry. John ran out of the cell and grabbed her shoulders.

"No, Elena! Listen to me, I'm old, I've lived my life-" The man grabbed him a started to drag him away.

"Wait! Father!" Elena cried, reaching for him.

"Elena!" John yelled, fighting the beast with all him might. "No, please, spare my daughter!" He said.

"She's no longer your concern. Tyler!" A dark haired boy ran to his master. "Take him to the village." He nodded, and Damon threw him in the carriage.

"Please, let me out, please!" Elena heard her father yelling as she watched him disappear. Her heart broke and she began to cry, knowing that this was the last time she would ever him.


	5. Chapter 5

Damon watched the carriage go with grim pleasure. He'd finally gotten a girl. Now all he had to do was make her love him. Make her his.

"Master?" One of his servants squeaked behind him.

"What!" He said, angry that she had disturbed his thoughts. The blond flinched, but continued.

"Is the girl staying?"

"Yes."

"You aren't going to let her sleep in that disgusting cell, are you? You should give her a more comfortable room-" Damon's angry growl cut her off. Fear ran through her veins and she nodded and disappeared, leaving Damon alone with his thoughts.

"A more comfortable room?" He whispered aloud, wonderingly. As much as he hated to admit it, to make the girl, Elena her father had said, happy, he had to be kind to her. Gentle. Sighing he went back into his prison to find her.

She was still sobbing on the cold floor, head buried her hands until he entered. She looked up at him with great hatred and sadness in her eyes.

"You didn't even let me say goodbye." She whispered. "I'll never see him again, and I didn't get to say goodbye!" A feeling he hadn't felt in a long time flowed through him, but he couldn't name it. Remorse? Guilt? He sighed and held his hand out to the girl.

"Come, I will show you to your room."

"My room?" She looked at the cell, confused.

"Would you rather stay in there?" He asked, lowering his hand back to his side.

"No!" She said, jumping up. He almost smiled at her eagerness.

"Then follow me."

Damon lead Elena through the house slowly, because she kept stopping to look at the pictures and sculptures that were on the walls. She shuttered at the horribleness of them, and gripped onto his arm. Shocked, he looked down at her, and saw more tears on her face.

"Say something nice!" A voice whispered. He looked over to see Katherine and Caroline hiding behind a corner. They nodded and he looked back at Elena.

"I...I hope you like it here..." Her dark eyes met his and a lump formed in his throat. He swallowed around it. "This is your home now...you may explore it as you wish, except for the the third floor."

"What is on the third floor?" She asked, her interest awoken. Damon stopped and answered in the coldest voice he could muster.

"It. Is. Forbidden." He continued walking. Elena looked around, then reluctantly followed him to the last room on the first floor. It was small, room only for a bed, a dresser, a wardrobe, and a covered mirror.

"If there is anything that you desire, I or my servants can get it for you..." Elena stepped it to the room, and sighed sadly, nodding.

"Invite her to dinner!" Katherine whispered behind him.

"You will join me for dinner when the sun sets. No exceptions." Damon left her in the room, slamming the door behind him. The cold, emptiness of the room touched Elena and the tears came again. She threw herself on the bed and sobbed until there were no tears left.

At that same moment, at the tavern in down, Stefan Whitlock was downing glasses of whiskey faster than the bartender could keep up.

"Who does that girl think she is?" He asked, between drinks. "Saying no to me. No one says no to me!" The bartender nodded, knowing not to disagree. "Dismissed and rejected. I would be the greatest thing that ever happened to that girl!" He ranted on.

"Another, sir?" The poor bartender asked, pouring another shot. Maybe if the boy got drunk enough he'd black out and leave him alone.

"For what? Nothing will help! I'm disgraced."

"No," The man said, "not you. Who wouldn't want a strong, handsome man like you? Why if I had a daughter-"

"Help!" John Gilbert's voice rang from outside. The door slammed against wall as he ran in, tears running down him face. "Someone, please help me!"

"John," The bar tender said, "what's going on?"

"He has her! He's locked her in the dungeon."

"Who?"

"Elena! He has Elena! Oh, he'll kill her! We must go now!"

"Who has Elena?" Stefan asked, standing.

"A beast! A monster straight out of her stories. With horrible red eyes and terrifying fangs. He'll kill her! You have to help me, Stefan!"

"All right, we'll help you!" He said, holding in a laugh. The inventor was just drunk again, Elena was probably asleep, safe, in her bed. "But, maybe you should go get some rest, John. We'll go tomorrow."

"NO! We have to go now!"

"Fellas, help make sure the inventor gets home safely." A few of the men in the bar stood and grabbed John, carrying him outside.

"Crazy old John!" Some of the people laughed. "Always good for a laugh."

"Crazy old John...Hmm..." Stefan thought aloud and an evil plan formulated in his mind.

Elena lay on the bed, tears running silently down her face, until there was a soft knock on the door. She sat up and wiped her eyes.

"Who is it?" She asked, fearing it would be her blue eyed captor. But the door opened to reveal two beautiful girls, and a small boy.

"I'm Katherine," One said, then gestured to the other two. "And this is Caroline and Jeremy. May we come in?" Elena nodded, and they came in, closing the door behind them.

"I told you she was pretty, didn't I mama!" Jeremy asked. Katherine rolled her eyes at the boy.

"Why don't you go tell Master that dinner is ready?" He nodded and ran from the room, slamming the door behind him.

"He's not really- I'm you're not his-" Elena stuttered, looking at Katherine.

"Oh, no. I am much too young. His mother died giving birth. It was very sad. I didn't want the child to grow up unloved, without a mother, so I took him."

"That was a very brave thing you did." Caroline said, softly. "I would never have been able to do that."

"How? I lost everything!"

"I think things will work fine. You just have to wait. Now, come. We must get you dressed." The two servant went to wardrobe and pulled things out, tossing unwantables to the floor.

"Pink." The blond said. "It'll make you look ravishing!"

"Thank you." Elena said, running her fingers across the soft fabric. "But I'm not going to dinner." The dress fell to the floor and the servants stared at her.

"You don't have a choice." Katherine said. "You have to go, or He will be angry. Please, don't make Him angry!"

"Why should I be forced into dinner with him? I hate him!" The servants looked at each other, sadly.

"As you wish, Miss. But, please, try to see through his cold nature. Maybe he just needs someone to understand him." Katherine said. "We'll clean the mess up later." She gave Elena one last pleading look, the she and Caroline walked out of the room.


	6. Chapter 6

Damon paced the floor in the dining room, listening impatiently for any sign of Elena.

"What's taking so long? I told her to be here..."

"Calm down." Klaus said, watching him. "She'll be along. It takes women hours to get ready."

'And she's been cryin' a lot." Jeremy said from Damon's side. "I think she misses her papa..." Damon looked down at the child and continued pacing, refusing to feel guilty again. Klaus cleared his throat.

"Have you given any thought to the idea that she could be the one to break the spell." Damon glared at him.

"Why do you think I allowed her to take his place?"

"All you have to do is make her fall in with you, then. You'll be normal by midnight tonight."

"But he has to love her, too." Jeremy said quietly.

"What?" Damon snapped at him. The little boy flinched and looked at the floor.

"The stories mama tells me say that the prince and princess have to both be in love to get the happy ending, that's the happy part."

Damon's movements stopped at the child's words. This was the autumn of his twentieth year, he only had a few months to make this girl fall for him, and fall for her in return or else he'd be a monster forever. He sighed sadly.

'It's no use." He thought, looking out the window at the stars. 'She's beautiful and kind, and I'm...'

"All you have to is be funny and gentle and shower her with complements." Klaus said.

"And try smilin'" Jeremy said, then the rest of his words were muffled by a hand over his mouth.

"And control your temper." Damon heard footsteps coming down the hall and spun around expectantly. His excitement turned to anger when he saw that it was just Katherine.

"Good evening." She quietly, walking to her adopted child.

"Where is she?" Damon seethed.

"Who?" She asked, then, meeting her masters angry gaze, stopped playing cute. "Well...You see, sir, circumstances being as they are...She refuses to come."

"What?" He asked, then, without waiting for an answer, started walking toward Elena's room.

"Master, please-" Klaus started but he was already gone. "Katherine-" She ran out after him.

"Master, calm down!" She cried. "Please, just listen for a mom-" Damon slammed his fist hard against Elena's door, leaving a dent in the hard wood.

"I told you to come to dinner!" He yelled, his voice marred by his fangs.

"I'm not hungry." Elena said.

"Come out or I'll break the door down and carry you out." She did not reply.

"Master," Katherine said. "This not the way to win a woman's affection. You must be a gentleman" Damon looked at her kind face and fangs sank back into his gums. He had never understood why she always looked so kind when he treated her the way he did.

"But she's being so...difficult!"

"Be gentle." She said again. He sighed and knocked softly on her door.

"Will you come down to dinner?"

"No!" He looked at Katherine, frustrated.

"Try suave?" He sighed, again, and looked at the door.

"It would give me great pleasure if you would join me for dinner, Miss." He said softly, in the voice no woman had ever refused.

"No, thank you." Elena said, angrily.

"You can't stay in there forever!"

"Yes, I can!"

"Fine! Starve. See if I care!" He yelled, then looked at Katherine. "If she cannot eat with me, she will not eat all."

He disappeared and Katherine flinched when a door on the third floor slammed slammed.

"That went well." Klaus said lightly. Katherine glared at him.

"Stay here, come and find me if she changes her mind."

"You can count on me."

* * *

><p>Damon watched a petal fall from the rose the enchantress gave him when he was cursed.<p>

"I ask nicely and she refuses me." He says aloud. "What does she want me to do, beg her?" He looked at the mirror on his dresser and picked it up.

"Show me the girl." The mirror glowed for a moment then showed Elena talking to Caroline, who was cleaning up the mess she and Katherine had made.

"He is not so bad when you get to know him." The lie was plain in Caroline's voice. She didn't know her master at all. "Just give him a chance."

"I don't want to know him. I want nothing to do with him!" Damon put the mirror down, sadly.

"Why am I fooling myself? She'll never see me as anything but a monster." He watched another petal fall from the rose and buried his head in his hands, knowing it was hopeless.

* * *

><p>Elena cracked her door open and peeked out, making sure didn't see Damon, then she made her way out into the hall.<p>

"Katherine!" Klaus said, running in ahead of Elena. "She's come out." Katherine looked up as he said this, and pressed a finger to her lips.

"Jeremy, go on up to your room, I'll be right up to tuck you in."

"But I'm not sleepy." He yawned.

"Yes, you are. Now go." He jumped down from his chair and disappeared out in the hallway.

"I work and slave all day and for what?" The cook muttered, cleaning up Jeremy's plate. "A wonderful meal gone to waste."

"Stop complaining, it's been long day for everyone." Katherine said, helping her.

"Well, if you ask me, she's just being stubborn. The master was kind enough to grant her wish for her father's freedom and give her a real room and offer to feed her and she said no."

"Well, we didn't ask, did we?" Katherine said, handing the dishes to the cook, who took them and left. "If the master doesn't learn to watch his temper he'll never break the-" She broke off as Elena entered.

"Oh, wonderful, you've decided to come out." She said, quietly, trying not to alarm her master. Elena nodded and looked around.

"He's not here. I'm Klaus, head of the house." He kissed her hand. "If there's anything you need, let us know."

"I am hungry" Elena said softly.

"Of course, right this-" Klaus gave Katherine a hard look.

"You know what the master said!"

"I don't care. I'm not going let go hungry." She said.

"Oh, alright. But keep it quiet." Katherine bit her lip.

"Well I was hoping that you would do it..."

"No." He said. "I couldn't."

"Oh, I'll take the blame. Jeremy just needs to be tucked in. It won't take me a minute, please?" Klaus sighed but nodded and Katherine ran from the room.

"What would you like, Miss?" Elena looked up at him. She could tell he didn't like going against what his master said, but since Katherine had asked, he couldn't say no.

"Oh, nothing much. Just enough to keep me from being hungry for the rest of the night, please." He nodded and disappeared into the kitchen for a moment, then returned with a dish of something Elena couldn't name.

"Eat quickly, then I will show you around the house." He said, setting down the dish. Elena met his eyes again and in that moment, the masters most loyal servant and the masters prisoner became secret friends with a better understanding of each other than anyone would ever know

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, there it is...lets say three reviews(Good or Bad) and I'll post the next chapter<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

Klaus led Elena around large first floor, pointing thing sout to her and explaining their origins. On the second floor he paused for a moment outside the servants quarters, and watched Katerine read to Jeremy.

"You love her, don't you?" Klaus looked down at her and sighed.

"No. We are not allowed to love. He won't permit it."

"He won't allow you to love?" She whispered. What kind of cold monster was he?

"It does not matter." He said thickly. "She wouldn't have me anyway. We are too different...Let's move on- Elena?" He looked to where she had been and she was gone. He looked around and saw her starting to up the stairs to the third floor. He ran after her and grabbed her around the waist.

"Why am I not aloud up there?" She asked, kicking against him, trying to be put down.

"He'll kill you!" He said. Her movements stopped then and Klaus set her gently on her feet.

"Kill me?" She whispered.

"He won't mean to, he won't want to, but no one, not even any of his servants are allowed."

"What's he hiding up there that is so important?"

"The Master hides nothing!" He hissed at her, his loyalty once again shining through. "Now, what would you like to see next? The ballroom? The sewing room? The Library?"

"Library? There's a library?"

"Oh, yes. Master loves to read. New books seem to appear everyday. I don't how he gets them here... All genres, languages, studies..." Klaus went on about the books as he started toward the library, and Elena started to follow, but her curiosity got the best of her. She made sure Klaus was a safe distance away before climbing the stairs.

She walked down the hallway, looking at the portraits hanging on the walls, then at a mirror that had been shattered, the glass still laying on the floor. Elena stepped over the shattered pieces and continued down the hall until she came upon the room. Damon's room. She looked around her the pushed the door open.

The room was dimly lit, candles set up in every corner. Elena looked around, drawn in by an almost perfect red rose, perfectly lit, under a bell glass. She went to it and reached out for glass cover until a cold hand covered hers. She jumped, as if awoken from a dream.

"Why did you come here?" Damon growled in her ear.

"I- I'm sorry." She tried to pull away, but he had a tight grip on her hand.

"I told you this place was off limits!" He said. "Do you know what you could have done!"

"I didn't mean any harm. Please, let me go, you're hurting me." She whimpered. His grip on her wrist loosened and then he let go completely.

"Get out." He whispered, turning away, looking at the rose and watching a petal fall.

"Truly," Elena said, rubbing wrist. "I'm sorry-"

"GET OUT!" He roared. He heard her heart speed up with fear and smelt her tears as she ran away. Damon fell to his knees, watching the petal begin to wilt. If his chances hadn't been ruined before, they were now.

Elena ran down the stairs, wrapping a cloak that she had found in the hallway around her. A strange scent enveloped her, a mixture of sunlight, earth, and something she couldn't place a name to.

"Where are you going?" Klaus called after her, as she ran passed him to the door.

"Promise or not, I can't stay here any longer." She said.

"No, please, wait!" He said, trying to catch her.

"I'm sorry." She said, going out the door and slamming it behind her. He tried to run out after her, but ran into an invisible barier.

"She's gone?" Katherine whispered. Klaus nodded and watched tears fall down her face as they heard a horse running away.

"Oh, please go faster." Elena said gently to the horse. "Get me home as fast a you can." The horse ran for a while, then came to an abrupt stop.

"Why did you-OH!" Elena looked up and saw the glowing eyes of wolves around her. Elena turned the horse and made him run deeper into the woods, still away from the house. He ran across a frozen lake, and Elena heard the wolves growl and howl behind her. Suddenly the ice cracked and she screamed as they fell.

The horse pulled through the water, fear driving him. Elena breathed a sighed of relief until snarls of the wolf pack snapped her back to reality. The horse reared away from them, causing her to fall. She watched as the wolves closed in around her and closed her eyes, hoping it wouldn't hurt long.

One of the wolves yelped, then another, yet she hadn't been touched yet. Confused, she opened her eyes and saw Damon fighting them off.

'Probably so he can kill me himself.' She thought in despair.

She watched as he threw wolves away from her, most of them had ran already upon his of the last launched itself at him and Elena watched as it's teeth buried themselves in his shoulder, and all the others ran toward the scent of blood. She lost count of how time he'd been bitten and scratched before he finally tossed one against a tree and knocked it out, and scared the others away. Damon turned to look at her.

"Are you okay?" He whispered. She nodded. He nodded back, then fell face first into the snow, his blood quickly making a red spot beneath him. Elena started toward the horse, unharmed and grateful to be alive, then guilty turned to her captor. He hadn't moved and his eyes were closed. The only signal that he was still alive was gentle rise and fall of his back.

'The only gentle thing about him.' Elena thought. Then using all her strength, half pick him up, frowning as his blood stained the cloak and dress she was wearing and tried to put him on the horse. Somehow managed to get him onto the animal. "Let's get you home." She said, taking the reins, not sure if she was talking to the horse or to Damon

"Oh, my!" Katherine said, as Elena managed to get Damon into the house. Klaus ran over to help her and Elena let him go.

"Take him to his room and light some more candles in there, please." She said and then looked at Katherine. "Get me some hot water, a wash cloth, some bandages, and some scissors and bring them up, please." Katherine nodded and ran toward the kitchen.

When Elena had what she asked She dismissed the two and looked at Damon, he hadn't woken up yet, and that was a good thing. She cut his shirt off, blushing at the inappropriateness at what she was doing. Once his shirt was removed she dipped rag in the water and pressed it to his skin. He hissed in pain and grabbed her wrist, then opened his eyes.

"That hurts!"

"You'll live." Elena said and looked at his pale skin. "You're already healed." She whispered amazed.

"If you hadn't ran away, I never would have been hurt." He said coldly, sitting up.

"If you hadn't scared me, I wouldn't have run."

"If you hadn't been in here, I wouldn't have scared you!"

"You should learn to control your temper!" He opened his mouth to say something back, but couldn't think of anything so he bowed his head in defeat. Elena smiled. "This is going to hurt..." She said, before place to wash cloth on his shoulder. He flinched and hissed in pain.

"Thank you," Elena said, wiping the blood away from his practically healed wound. "You saved my life." Damon looked up at her, his eyes gentler than she had ever seen them.

"You're welcome." He said. Then, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Because you saved mine, too." Elena looked away from him and around the room.

"It is beautiful here." She said. He snorted and shook his head.

"I hate it here."

"Why? You have people who do whatever you say, millions of books-"

"It's a prison and nothing more." He sadly. "But it's my own fault that I'm trapped here."

"Why are you...I mean..."

"Why am I what I am?" He asked. She nodded and looked away, embarrassed. "Maybe I'll tell you my story one day. If you really want to hear it."

"I think I do." She said, putting the bandage on his shoulder.

Stefan sat at the bar with Elijah Smith- owner of the Mystic Falls Asylum.

"I don't like to leave to leave the asylum this late , but you said it would be worth my while." Stefan a bag full of gold at him. Elijah opened it, pick a few pieces up and met Stefan's eyes. "I'm listening."

"Well, It's like this...I've got my heart set on marrying Elena Gilbert, but she wants to play hard to get. But, everyone in town knows her father is insane, why he was in here last night, raving about her being capture by a beast out of a fairy tale."

"John Gilbert is harmless." Elijah said, shaking his head.

"But Elena would do anything to make sure he wasn't locked up..."

"So, you want me to lock him in the asylum until she agrees to marry you?" Stefan nodded. "John Gilbert is a good man, I won't do that to him."

"Then I'll be taking this back." Stefan said, reaching for his gold.

"No!" Elijah said, thinking of his wife and child. "No. I'll do it." Stefan smiled, evilly.

His plan was falling into place.

* * *

><p><strong> Three Reviews til the next chapter?<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

Damon watched as Elena twirled and played in the snow with Jeremy, a strange feeling-almost like a punch to the stomach-went through him every time she smiled, or he heard his laugh.

"I've never felt this way before..." He said to Katherine and Klaus, who he came to quite often now needing his experience and her advice on women. "I want to do something for her. Something to help her see past what I am. But what?"

"Well, you could give her candy, or flowers, or sing to her, or-"

"No!" Katherine said. "You must do something special. Something just for her that she would like." At his confused look, she sighed and sat down. "What have you learned about her in these past few weeks?"

"She likes chocolate, roses, and sleeping late. She has an amazing singing voice. She loves to read-That's it!" He jumped up and ran from the room, leaving Klaus and Katherine confused.

"Miss Elena!" He yelled, running outside. She looked up from the snowman she and Jeremy were making at him and smiled.

"Yes?" He looked at Jeremy and back at her.

"Um...Katherine wants you two to come in for lunch. It's cold and she wants you to warm up." It wasn't a complete lie, Katherine was worried about Jeremy getting sick. Reluctantly, they trudged into the house.

"Oh, you're freezing." Katherine worried over him. "Come on, let's get you warm." Elena began to walk after them, but Damon grabbed her hand. A shock ran up her arm and she jerked away from him.

"I'm sorry, but...I want to show you something first."

"Just us?" Damon nodded. Elena looked unsure for a moment, but nodded anyway. "Okay, what?"

"First, you must close your eyes." She bit her lip and let them fall closed. He saw how tense she still was so he walked behind her and gently laid his hands on her shoulders. "I won't let anything happen to you." He whispered in her ear, causing a slight shiver to go though her body.

"I believe you." She said, letting him lead her down the hall. "Can I open them yet?"

"Not yet." Elena flinched as bright light hit her face. "Now open them."

Elena opened her eyes and looked around a room full of shelves that reached the ceiling.

"Oh!" She said, looking around. "I've never seen so many books in one place." She said.

"I have almost anything you could want." He said, hoping she wouldn't hear the double meaning in his words.

"It's amazing."

"It's yours." Elena looked at him.

"What?"

"I've already read them all, I have no further use for them. And since you're going to be here I thought..." Elena ran to him and hugged him.

"Oh, thank you!" He stood, shocked for a moment then hugged her back. She pulled away, too soon for his liking and looked around.

"Where should I start?" She asked. He reached over her shoulder and pulled a thick book of fairy tales off the shelf.

"This is good." He said, handing it to her. She took it, enjoying the feeling of having book in her hands again.

"My mother read them to me before she- When I was younger?" Elena looked up and met his eyes.

"You told me you would tell me your story." He nodded, and lead her the couch.

"Start from the beginning?" She said, afraid to push to far.

"My mother died when I was young." He said, not looking at her. "I was very close to her. After she was gone, my father became more and more depressed, and then he left one day and didn't come back. I was completely alone. That's why I became cold, closed off. If you don't let people in, it can't hurt when they leave you."

"I'm so sorry." She said.

"You won't be for long." He sighed. "As I got older, I only got worse. I treated my servants like slaves, used women, wasted others time and money, and things kept getting worse until one night. An old woman came to my door wanting shelter from a storm, but I turned her away. She put the curse on me. I'm stuck like this. Forever."

He felt no need to tell her that the curse was breakable. That she could break it. She would never want to. He almost jumped in surprise when she laid her hand over his.

"You're changing." She said, softly. "That's all that matters now." He nodded. That was all he trusted himself to do with the electricity that was running up his arm.

"That you for the books." She walked out of the room and he sunk back into his seat, hoping Katherine was right.

Elena laid on her bed and tried to focus on the book, but the things that Damon had told her kept coming back into her head.

She knew how it felt to lose a mother, hers had died a slow death, trying to fight a disease when Elena was four. But she could never imagine her father leaving her. Couldn't imagine the strain that had put on Damon. Sighing, she closed the book and laid back, staring at her ceiling.

Maybe now that he had opened up, they could begin to get closer.

* * *

><p>The next day, Klaus and Katherine watched as Elena drug Damon through the snow, her giggles floating up to the sky.<p>

"He's changing." Katherine said, excitedly. "He's falling for her."

"I don't know..." Klaus said.

"Look at him!" She said. "He never smiled, never laughed, never truly lived until she entered his life. She makes him better, Klaus."

"I'm trying to be reasonable, Katerina!" He said, coldly. "He may be falling in love with her, but unless she loves him back, it no use."

Katherine leaned against the window frame and watched the pair.

"I wonder what it feels like." She said. "To be in love." Klaus swallowed and stepped closer to her.

"I hope, one day, you find out." He said, sincerely.

* * *

><p>Damon looked around the large, snow covered grounds, wondering where Elena had gone. Suddenly something cold and hard hit him in the back of the head. He spun, fangs out, ready to attack, but it was only Elena. He looked down ashamed and she came forward, hesitantly and lifted his chin. Her warm fingers traced over the dark veins beneath his eyes.<p>

"You are beautiful." She whispered. He ducked his head again and smiled.

"You're the beautiful one, Miss Elena." They stood in a blushing silence for a second until another snowball whizzed past their heads and Jeremy laughed, then ran away.

"Elena," Damon said before she could run after him.

"Yes?" He took a breath.

"Wil you please join me foe dinner tonight?" Elena smiled.

"I would love to."


	9. Chapter 9

Elena was laying on her bed, reading the book Damon had given her, when there was a knock on her door.

"Come in." Elena said, marking her page. Katherine stepped into the room with a bright smile on her face.

"Good evening, Elena." She said.

"Katherine. What is it you need? I know it's not dinner time yet."

"No. The master has asked me to show you to your new room."

"New room?" Katherine nodded.

"Will you follow me?" Elena grabbed her book and followed Katherine up the stairs to a large room with an adjoined bathroom.

"The tub is full." Katherine said. "I suggest you get in now while it's warm. I'll find you a gown to wear." Elena nodded and placed her book on the bed. She went into the bathroom, removed her dress and slid into the warm water that was awaiting her.

* * *

><p>"He's going crazy." Klaus murmured, watching Damon rush around making sure everything was perfect.<p>

"He's wants tonight to be perfect." Katherine said. "It's the first time they've spent an evening together since she arrived. Something's changed in him."

"What's changed, Mama?" Jeremy asked, clinging to her skirt.

"I'll tell you when you're older." She said, picking him up. "Now, let's get you dressed. Make sure he is ready in time." She said to Klaus before carrying her child upstairs.

"Everything looks fine, Master." Klaus said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Come, you must get ready."

Damon nodded and followed his friend up to his chamber.

"So, tonight's the night?" Klaus asked, watching as Damon button his shirt.

"I don't think I can do this." Damon answered.

"You don't have a choice." Klaus said, looking at the almost petal-less rose. "And tonight will perfect. There will be music, candlelight, and a delicious meal. Then, when the time is right, you'll tell her how you feel, she'll kiss you, and..."

"Yes, I...I can't." Klaus let out a frustrated sigh.

"You care about her, don't you?"

"More than anything." Damon said, honestly.

"Then you have to tell her." Damon looked at Klaus nodded.

* * *

><p>"I can't wear these!" Elena said, seeing the beautiful dresses Katherine had laid out.<p>

"You must wear one! You will not go to dinner in that tacky thing." Caroline said, lifting the skirt of Elena's dress.

"This is not- My father gave me this and I love it." Elena snapped. Caroline blushed.

"I'm very sorry if I offended you, Miss. But the master has been working very hard to be sure things are right for you and we want you to look perfect for him."

"And there's a rip in this. And it is stained with blood from his accident. Change, then give this to me." Katherine said. "I have this exact color thread in my chambers. I'll have it good as new by the time dinner is over." Elena bit her lip, but nodded and picked up a blue dress.

"This one." She said. Katherine and Caroline helped her change and tied the strings on the back. When Elena looked in the mirror she gasped.

"That's not me." She whispered.

"It is." Katherine said as a knock sounded on the door.

"Come in." Klaus entered.

"It's time." Katherine nodded and touched Elena's cheek.

"Smile." She said, softly. "That is a woman's greatest accessory."

"Thank you." Elena whispered, a small smile spreading on her face.

"Good luck." Caroline said, following Katherine out. Klaus offered his arm and Elena took it.

"Don't be nervous." He said, noticing Elena's discomfort. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you." He left her at the top of the stairs. She took a deep breath and looked down in Damon's eyes. She slowly descended the stairs and he offered his arm. He kissed her cheek.

"You look beautiful, Miss Elena." He said, softly.

"Thank you." She said, smiling at a little. They walked to the dinning room, where he pulled out her chair for her. They ate in silence, both of them afraid to break the spell that had seemed to fall on them. When she was done, he stood and offered her his hand.

"Where are we going?"

"Dance with me." He said, stopping in front of the fire. He spun her around the large floor and she laughed.

"What's funny?" He asked.

"Nothing." She said. He took a deep breath.

"Elena..." He started, but when her eyes me his he changed his mind. "Do you like it here? Are you happy?"

"Yes..." She said, but didn't meet his eyes again.

"But?"

"I miss my father. I only wish I could see him again." Damon sighed, then smiled.

"I know a way." He held Elena's hand as he guided her up to his chambers. Once there, he gave her his mirror.

"This will show you him, all you have to do is ask." Elena took it from his hand.

"I'd like to see my father, please." She whispered. The mirror glowed for a moment, then showed John Gilbert stumbling through the woods. He leaned against a tree and started coughing uncontrollably, then fell into the snow.

"Papa!" Elena cried. "He's sick and alone in the forest. He could die." Damon looked past her at the rose that only had a few petals left, then thought of his own parents.

"Then you must return to him." He said softly.

"What?" Elena whispered.

"I'm letting you go, you're no longer my prisoner." He said, mechanically. He could hardly hear his own words over the sound of his heart shattering again.

"I'm free?" She whispered. Damon nodded miserably. "Oh, thank you!" She looked back at the mirror and said something, but Damon was too focused on another petal falling from the rose to notice. He was snapped out of it by Elena pressing the mirror into hands.

"Keep it. You'll always be able to look back and remember us." He said.

"Thank you for under standing." She said. She noticed the sadness in Damon's eyes and kissed his cheek. "You're a great friend." With that she ran from the room.

"Friend?" He whispered, falling to his knees in front of the rose, watching the fallen petal wither. "Of course."


	10. Chapter 10

Katherine and Klaus watched as Elena ran past them and slammed the door to her bed room.

"What happened?" Katherine whispered. The night had been going perfectly.

"I'll find out." Klaus said, and went up to Damon's room. He saw his master knelling in front of the cursed rose, his head resting in his hand.

"Master?" He whispered. "What happened?"

"I let her go." His muffled voice was heartbroken.

"Why?" Damon looked up at Klaus and tears ran down his face.

"Because I love her." He whispered. Klaus reached out to touch his shoulder, but Damon moved away.

"Just go." He whispered."Please." Klaus nodded, and left.

"What is it?" Katherine asked when he found her and all the others in the library, a worried expression on his face.

"He let her go." He whispered.

"He what?"

"He let her go. I don't why..."

"She's leavin'?" Jeremy asked, appearing at his mothers skirt.

"He was so close. He loves her..."

"Shouldn't that break the spell?" Tyler asked.

"No, she has to love him in return." Katherine whispered, looking out the window. That's as close as any of them would get to freedom now.

"And now it's too late." Klaus said, watching sorrow appear on all their faces.

No one noticed Jeremy slip away

* * *

><p>Damon watched Elena leave from his balcony, and felt his heart leave with her. Emotions he had felt since he was child ran through his veins, leaving him feeling cold and empty.<p>

"I love you, Elena." He whispered, his words drifting away in the wind.

* * *

><p>"Show me my father." Elena said to the mirror. It glowed for a moment then showed her a snow covered bank. She found it and sighed in relief when she found him alive.<p>

"Papa?" She whispered, shaking his shoulder.

"Elena?" John asked, sitting up when he saw his daughter. "What are you doing here? Where is _he_?"

"He let me go, Papa." She said, helping him up.

"You're free?" He whispered.

"Yes."

"Oh, thank goodness. I couldn't bear the thought of you alone with that...that _monster_." Elena wanted to tell him that Damon was not a monster, the exacted opposite actually, but he seemed so tired.

"Here, Papa, take my cloak." She said, removing it, after he'd gotten on the horse.

"Your dress..." He said, before his eyes closed. Elena looked and saw she was still wearing the gown Katherine had given her. She'd have to return it some day.

She stumbled through the snow until she finally found her way to their little house.

"Come on, Papa. We're home." She helped him down and to his room.

"Elena?" He said, looking at her with bleary eyes.

"I'm here, Papa" She said, then heard a knock on the door. "I'll be right back."

She opened the door and found Jeremy shivering in the moon light.

"Jeremy, what are you doing here?" She said, getting him inside, and putting him in front of the fire. "Does your mother know your here?"

"She doesn't know I can leave." Jeremy answered. "Why'd you leave? Do you not like us anymore?"

"Of course I do, honey. I like all of you, but I had to come back because-" A hard knock Elena recognized all too well banged on the door. Elena knelt in front of the small child and put her hands on his shoulders.

"Jeremy, I need you to go back to an empty room and wait for me, okay?" He nodded and ran down the hall, opening a door and running in. Elena stood and straightened the skirt of Katherine's dress then opened the door.

"Stefan, what do you want?"

"We came to get your father." Stefan said, a smirk playing on his lips. Elena looked between him and Elijah, who she knew ran the asylum just outside of town.

"My...father?" She whispered, confused. Then angry. "My father is not crazy!"

"Sure he is. He was bar the night, going on about a monster kidnapping you, but here you are." Elena opened her mouth to explain, until her father stumbled down the hall. Stefan pushed Elena aside and grabbed John by one arm.

"Come on, Elijah, let's get him to the asylum." The look in Stefan's eyes dared him not to deny it. Elijah helped Stefan get John into the wagon.

"I'll take care of him Elena." He promised closing the door, her fathers yells of protest being muffled. Elena spun and slapped Stefan hard.

"You know he's not crazy!" Stefan rubbed a red spot that was appearing on his face.

"I might be able to convince Elijah to let him go if..."

"If what?" She whispered, desperate.

"If you marry me."

"Never!" She hissed. A crowed of people had followed the wagon, curious of who was next for Elijah to take away.

"Have it your way." He shrugged.

"I can prove he's not!" Elena ran inside and grabbed the magic mirror. She ran back outside. "Show me Damon." She whispered. Everyone watched as the mirror glowed and Damon appeared, sitting, starring out of a window.

"That is a man-" Stefan started, until someone brought an unknown girl into the room Damon was sitting in. He and the other man, Elena knew was Klaus, appeared to argue for a moment, then Klaus withdrew a knife and gently cut a place on the girls neck. Women screamed in the crowd when Damon's face changed and he attacked the girl.

"A monster!" Stefan yelled.

"No!" Elena said. "He has no choice! He has to do that, or he would never hurt anyone! I know he looks vicious, but he's really gentle! He's my...friend."

"If I didn't know better I'd say you had feelings for this monster."

"You're the monster, Stefan!"

"She's just as crazy as her father!" Stefan yelled, ripping the mirror from her hands. "Look at him! This monster will steal your children! Kill your husbands! No one is safe until he's dead!" The crowd murmured in agreement.

"No!" Elena cried.

"Elijah, take him and lock him up!" Stefan yelled. Then grabbed Elena. "You're either with us or against us!"

"I wont let you do this!"

"Fine." He said, dragging her around to the cellar of the house and throwing her into it. "When I come back with the head of your beast, maybe you'll feel differently." She heard the doors slam and lock and the crowd go away with Stefan. She fell to her knees in grief for the loss of her friends.

"I knew it was foolish to get our hopes up." Caroline said, sadly.

"Maybe it would have been better if she'd came at all." Tyler agreed.

"Don't say that." Katherine whispered, looking out window, waiting for Elena to come back. Klaus sighed in frustration.

"She's not coming back!" He yelled at her. "You're foolish to believe she would! He let her go!" She flinched and tears welled in eyes.

"She's coming back." She whispered. "I can feel it." Klaus started to retort, but noise outside shut him up.

"Is it her?" Caroline asked. Katherine shook her head.

"Warn the master." She said. "We're under attack."


	11. Chapter 11

"Light the torches!" Klaus yelled at Caroline. "Tyler, get the weapons! We're not going down without a fight. Katherine, Take Jeremy and hide where they won't find you!"

"I'll hide him. I'm fighting, too." She said.

"Don't be foolish! You and Caroline will hide-"

"Because we're women? No, it is my home, and I will fight for it!" She said. "Go warn the master." Klaus watched her run, calling for Jeremy, and fell deeper in love with her.

But was what he was feeling love? Or was it something else? The master had told him that he, Klaus, wasn't aloud to be in love if he couldn't feel it, also. Had Elena undone that?

"Master?" Klaus said, coming in. Damon was still on the floor, starring at the rose. Even with human hearing he could hear the people screaming '_Kill the beast_' outside.

"Leave me in peace." Damon whispered.

"Master, the manor is under attack. What do we do?" Damon stood and looked into his eyes.

"I release all of you from all compultion I put you under. You no longer have to be loyal to me. You are free to come and go as you please. Leave now, save yourselves." Klaus felt a weight lift from his shoulders, felt emotions flow through him. When he looked at Damon, he saw only a friend, not a ruler.

"I am not leaving you here!" He said.

"It doesn't matter now." Damon said, sadly. Klaus was about to answer when Katherine ran in with tears running down her face.

"I can't find Jeremy!"

* * *

><p>At Elena's small house in the village, Jeremy was trying to figure out how to free Elena.<p>

"I found the ax!" Elena heard the five year old yell to her.

"Oh, please be careful!" She hated the thought of him with an ax, but what choice did she have. She nearly screamed when the blade came though the wood.

"Tyler taught me how." He said, getting her out in a few chops. "You gotta hurry, 'Lena! Their going to the manor, they'll hurt everybody."

"Go back inside, Jeremy. Lock the doors and don't worry." She kissed his forehead and he ran inside.

"'Lena!" He yelled, before he closed the door. "I love you!"

"I love you, too" She said, getting on the horse and riding as fast as she could toward the manor

Stefan watched as the men he brought with him fought the servants of the house. He ran up the stairs, forcing doors open and ruining things until he found Damon's room.

The beast looked up at him when the door slammed into the wall, and met his eyes. Stefan saw sadness, pain, and loneliness in the blue depths, and that angered him more. A murderous beast didn't deserve to feel human emotions.

The beast looked down again and Stefan lifted his crossbow and shot him in the arm. Damon cried out and pulled the arrow from his arm. Stefan ran at him and they landed on the balcony. They both felt rain beginning to fall. Stefan stood, looking for a weapon, thinking the beast would attack him, but Damon only sat their in despair.

"What's the matter, Beast? Too weak to fight back? Get up!" Damon looked down, ignoring him. Stefan roared in rage at the beast refusal and ran for his crossbow.

Elena stopped the horse, seeing Damon sitting on the balcony on the house. She watched as Stefan joined him and aimed a crossbow at him.

"No!" She cried.

"Elena?" Damon whispered, sitting up.

"Stefan, don't hurt him!" Stefan lowered the weapon for a moment, distracted. When he saw Damon stand, he snapped out of it and swung at him. Damon caught the crossbow and threw it to the ground, then found a hiding place in a dark corner.

"Come out fight!" Stefan yelled, smiling evilly when a new tactic came into his mind. "Do you love her, Beast? Elena?" He waited for an answer, but when he didn't get one, he continued.

"Do you honestly think she would ever love you, a terrible beast, when she could have me?" Damon came out of the shadows at him, starting to fight again.

"It's over!" Stefan yelled over the thunder. "Elena is mine! Her heart, body, and mind belong to me!" Damon growled and picked him up, holding him over edge of the balcony. Stefan looked down and began to panic.

"Please...don't drop me! Don't hurt me! Put me down." He cried. "I'll do anything!" Damon remembered Elena begging him to release her father, saying those same words. He put Stefan down on the balcony and stepped away from him.

"Get out!" He growled. Elena ran up behind them.

"Damon!" She cried, relieved that neither of them had been hurt.

"Elena!" She ran to him and they embraced. Damon spun her around and she laughed like a child. "You came back." he whispered in wonder, so quiet she could barly hear him. She looked up into his eyes and saw love shining in them. She opened her mouth to tell him what she'd been trying to say since he'd saved her from the wolves, but he cried out in pain.

Behind him, Stefan pulled the antique wooden dagger he'd stolen from Damon's chambers out of the beast's back.

"No!" Elena screamed, seeing the blood spilling from the wound.

"You're free now, Elena." Stefan said, stabbing Damon again. "It's better this way. You're mine!" Damon turned and swung at him. Although the hit was as strong as it could have been, it had enough force to knock Stefan over the railing of the balcony and into the dark unknown woods beneath them.

"Damon!" Elena said, tears running out of her eyes as he fell to the floor. She fell next to him and put his head in her lap.

"Oh, no!" Katherine cried from the doorway. Elena looked up and saw her bury her face in Klaus's chest.

"You came back." Damon said, again.

"Of course I came back. I couldn't let you...Stefan told them all...Oh, I shouldn't have left at all!"

"Maybe it is better this way." He whispered.

"Don't say that!" She said. "You'll be okay. We're together again, now. I won't leave again. You'll heal and everything will be fine."

"Not this time, Elena." He said. "It's over." His eyes closed, but snapped opened again instantly.

"I have to this once, Elena. I love you. I love you more than anything. Never forget that." His breathing began to slow and his eyes closed again, even though he fought to keep them open. "Never forget..." He never finished the statement. His head fell back and he didn't move.

"No!" Elena cried, her pain echoed off all the walls of the home. She saw the dagger on the ground next to her, and grabbed it. She cut her palm and pressed it to his mouth. It spilled back out, staining Katherine's beautiful blue gown.

"No, Please! You can't leave me. I love you!" She laid her head on his chest. "I love you." She whispered, and began to sob.

"She said it!" Klaus whispered. "She loves him! He has to come back now, the spell-"

"It's too late." Katherine whispered, watching the last petal fall. "He's gone." Klaus wrapped her in his arms and she began to cry.


	12. Chapter 12

The rain continued fall on Damon and Elena, mixing with his blood and her tears. Suddenly, a beam of light fell, then another, and another. Elena looked up and began to back away, seeing the light beams surround Damon's body.

"What's that?" She heard Tyler asked, but couldn't look away from Damon's body. She had to shield her eyes as the light got brighter.

Then, just as suddenly as it appeared, it was gone, leaving Damon's laying there, just as it was before. Elena came closer to him, seeing no movement. She reached out touch him, slowly. When her fingers brushed his skin, he moved. Elena screamed, and jumped back.

Everyone watched as Damon sat up, slowly and looked around. His eyes landed on Elena and he stood.

"Elena." He breathed, coming towards her. She back away. "Elena, it's me."

"You died." She whispered. "I saw it."

"I'm right here." He took her in his arms. "You see." Elena touched his cheek with her bloody palm. He turned his head and kissed her palm, then made a face when he tasted her blood.

"Damon..." She said. "You're...The blood doesn't..."

"I'm human again?" He whispered, then smiled. "I'm human again!" Damon picked Elena up and spun her around happily. She laughed, new tears running down her face.

"I love you, Elena." He said, kissing them away.

"I love you, too." Their lips met and the rain stopped completely, a beautiful full moon casting light over them.

When they broke apart, they saw Katherine pushing Klaus away.

"I have to find Jeremy." She said. Klaus nodded, looking disappointed.

"I know where he is." Elena said, quickly. If anyone deserved to be together in the end, it was Klaus and Katherine. "He followed me home. He's safe." Katherine put her hand on her heart in relief. Then looked confused.

"How did he get out of the manor? Mast-Damon told us we couldn't leave."

"He was born after the curse." Damon said in realization. "He wasn't affected by the compultion."

"He's safe? No one can get to him?" Elena nodded. "Then I have to get him. I can't leave him alone."

"Then we'll all go. Together." Damon looked at his friends, then at the woman he loved. "This is no longer our prison. It's time to start over."

* * *

><p>"Mama!" Jeremy yelled, running from the house when Katherine emerge from the carriage. She bent down and caught him, holding him tightly to her.<p>

"Oh, baby. You should have told me you were leaving!"

"You wouldn'ta let me. And 'Lena was the only one who coulda helped." He looked up into his mother's eyes. "Are you angry with me?"

"No, baby." She said, kissing kissing his hair. "You did perfect." Elena looked from them to Klaus, then pushed him towards them.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"He needs a father, Klaus." She said, and smiled. "And I think you're perfect for the job. Tell her." He nodded hesitantly and went to Katherine's side. She'd put Jeremy down and he'd run to Tyler and Caroline, whose fingers were already locked together.

"Katherine." He said softly. She looked up at him, and he started to lose his nerve. Then he thought about her with another man and cleared his throat. "I...Jeremy needs a father, and I think..." She laughed at his nervousness and stood on her tip-toes. She placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

"I think so, too" She said. "I love you, Klaus." He pulled her to him and kissed her again, putting five years of emotion behind it.

Damon and Elena watched the scene from where they stood, his arms wrapped around her.

"A happy ending for everyone." He said, his lips against her skin.

"Not yet." She said, giving him better access. "I have to go get my father, first." Damon nodded and they went to asylum. Damon paid Elijah three time what Stefan had and they freed John.

"Papa," Elena said when they arrived home, "meet Damon." John looked a bit frightened, until Damon offered his hand.

"You have every reason to hate me, sir. But I have changed. I love your daughter and I wanted to be with her for the rest of my life. With your consent, of course." Everyone stood in a tense silence, waiting.

"Do you want this, Elena?" He asked, softly. She nodded.

"I love him."

"Then I can't say no." Everyone cheered and three weddings were planned.

* * *

><p><strong>1 year later<strong>

Jeremy tried to help the small blond baby stand up. Whenever she fell, Jeremy did too, to show her it was okay.

Elena rested her head on Damon's chest, watching their small son try to stand, too.

"I still can't get over how beautiful he is." She said. "He looks exactly like you." Damon kissed her hair and smiled at the baby.

"More like you, I think." He said.

"Jeremy, leave Annabelle alone." Katherine said, tiredly. Her hand rested on her swelled stomach. Elena thought she looked like she would burst at any second.

"It's okay." Caroline said. "It's cute." Elena looked longingly at the little girl, and looked away quickly. But not quick enough to escape Damon notice. Her wrapped his arms around her, his hands resting on her flat stomach.

"Our next child." He said, a promise in his voice. He knew that she wanted daughter more than anything.

"I love Greyson, Damon." She said.

"I know. It's not a sin to wish for a daughter, Elena. We'll just have to keep trying until we have her." Elena giggled as his lips brushed her skin.

"Well, It's getting late." Katherine said, as Klaus helped her up. " hate to walk home in the dark. Let's go, Jeremy." He looked up and but Tyler and Caroline's daughter down gently. He followed them out the door.

"She's right." Caroline said, wrapping Annabelle in a blanket and picking her up. "We'll see you tomorrow, Elena. Damon." She and Tyler walked out, leaving the small family alone.

"Come on, Baby." Elena said, picking Greyson up. "It's time for dinner." She gently kissed her husband and went to fix the baby dinner. Damon watched go, smiling. He still couldn't believe that this was his life. That Elena was his wife and Greyson was their child.

And to think, he thought, following Elena into the small kitchen. It all started with a curse and a rose.

* * *

><p><strong>So, that's the end. If anyone has a Disneyany other movie done, Damon/Elena or Damon/Katherine style, tell me and I'll try :)  
><strong>


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